Dfter the success achieved last April at the Teatro alla Scala, tonight at 9.20pm Rai 5 broadcast on first TV The name of the roseopera written by Francesco Filidei e loosely based on the novel of the same name by Umberto Eco. With the directed by Damiano Michieletto, The name of the rose is a co-production with the Opéra National de Paris and has for protagonists are two great voices of contemporary opera: the baritone Lucas Meachem and the mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey who, in the opera, plays the male role of the young Adso.
The name of the rose: the plot of the opera based on the novel by Umberto Eco tonight 16 October on TV on Rai 5
Old Adso from Melk (Kate Lindsey, in disguise) remembers a youthful experience lived next to the master William of Baskerville (Lucas Meachem), sent in 1327 to an abbey in Italy to mediate a dispute between the emperor and the Pope. Once there, the two immediately discover the mysterious death of the monk Adelmo from Otranto. The abbot asks William to investigatebut denying him access to the library, guarded by the sinister Malachi (Owen Willets).
When other monks die in suspicious circumstances, William senses the connection to a forbidden book. THEand his investigations move between heresies, apocalyptic visions and theological intrigues. Meanwhile Adso, troubled by a love encounter with a young peasant (Katrina Galka), witnesses the girl’s arrest and of the monk Salvatore by the inquisitor Bernardo Gui (Daniela Barcellona, also in travesti).
Only at the end, Guglielmo manages to access the secret room of the library. Here he faces Jorge, responsible for the murders, who had poisoned Aristotle’s book on comedy to prevent its spread. In delirium, Jorge sets fire to the volumes, causing the destruction of the entire abbey. Guglielmo and Adso fortunately survived. Years later, Adso returns to the ruinsremembering his master and lost love.
Kate Lindsey in a scene from “The Name of the Rose”. (Brescia and Amisano)
The cast of The name of the rose: protagonists at the Teatro alla Scala Kate Lindsey and Lucas Meachem
One of the most versatile and appreciated mezzo-sopranos of her generation, Kate Lindsey was born in 1980 and trained at Indiana University and the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Program. Acclaimed for her flexible voice and velvety timbre, the singer is also appreciated for her strong stage presence and interpretative intensity. Curious and unconventional artist, alternates opera, recital and chamber musicfavoring projects that combine musical research and emotional depth.
Lucas Meachem, on the other hand, is an American baritone known for his warm voiceround and rich in colour, combined with a strong stage presence and a direct, empathetic and communicative interpretative style. A versatile artist, he has been able to build a career that ranges from the great operatic repertoire to commitment to contemporary productions and social projects. Recognized for his vocal elegance and expressive intensity, Meachem he approaches roles with a balance between technique and spontaneityfavoring sincere communication with the public.
Rai Cultura’s tribute to Damiano Michieletto
Considered among the most innovative contemporary Italian directorscapable of combining scenic vision and deep attention to the characters, Damiano Michieletto will be celebrated by Rai Cultura in October with a review dedicated to him. In fact, one of his opera productions will be broadcast every Saturday at 8.00 on Rai 5.
It will be broadcast on October 18th Salome by Richard Straussa production signed by Michieletto for the Teatro alla Scala during the year of the pandemic, in the television version recorded in 2021. Riccardo Chailly on the podiumprotagonist Elena Stikhina, flanked by Gerhard Siegel, Linda Watson, Wolfgang Koch, Attilio Glaser and Lioba Braun.
The event will close on Saturday 25 October with the Madame Butterfly by Puccinistaged at the Teatro Regio in Turin in 2014 and reread by Michieletto as a story of sex tourism set in contemporary times. Directed by Pinchas Steinberg, the opera sees Amarilli Nizza in the role of Cio-Cio-San and the rest of the cast is made up of Massimiliano Pisapia, Alberto Mastromarino and Giovanna Lanza.